In hostile environments, such as in space and nuclear facilities, access to service equipment components is limited and direct human control of the components is usually prohibited. Further, the components may experience unforeseen problems, due to the particular environment, which require on site correction. For example, a NASA space station has many components which are directly exposed to the harsh environment of space. Astronauts on the space station cannot easily access such components for maintenance and replacement in the event that the service equipment becomes inoperative. Thus, there is a need to provide an effective method for installing, maintaining and replacing service equipment, such as a service unit which can be easily and quickly clamped and unclamped from the service equipment for service or replacement.
Conventional clamping assemblies are generally unsuitable for use in hostile environments, since conventional clamps are usually designed for direct access. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,020 to Langsford discloses a clamp for attaching clip-on units to a cargo container wherein the clamp is formed as a pivotal arm receivable in an opening for locking. Such a clamp is unsuitable for space station use because the clamp is not designed for remote access.
Further, service equipment generally includes electrical connectors for controlling various electrical and mechanical devices in the hostile environment. Electrical connectors are needed which can be easily and accurately connected and disconnected in order to cooperate with the clamping and unclamping of the service equipment. Conventional electrical connectors presently used by the military or commercial industry require precise alignment and are therefore unsuitable for use in combination with limited access clamping assemblies used in hostile environments. U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,682 to Grimes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,609 to Prokopp et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,022 to Watanabe et al. disclose examples of such conventional electrical connectors.